I just got back from a road trip to see the great troubadour, Jonathan Richman.

He played two shows in Nashville, Tennessee at a place called “The 5 Spot”. I liked this venue. It was very small and the stage was less than a foot high. There seemed to be college-age people running everything and it was very appropriate for a Jonathan Richman show.

1st night: To my surprise, only about 30 people attended this show. There were people seated at a table in the middle of the venue and some other people to the side. Throughout the show Jonathan would walk through us while playing his guitar as if he was feeling us out. He would frequently hop off the stage so that he would be right next to us and dance in the way only he can.He played the song “Bohemia” which was a huge highlight for me. After the intermission I told him how much I loved that song and he mentioned how sometimes his Dad would drop him off at Harvard Square and other times he would “take the trolley or somethin’”. I also asked him about a band called “The Shaggs” (there is a cd of theirs that has a quote from him on the back). He said he loves the Shaggs and they are “real”.

2nd night:This was a complete change from the previous night’s show. This time people came out and the place was much better attended. There was a slightly rowdy element to the crowd but instead of distracting it actually enhanced the experience because they were clearly into the show and participated warmly.

The absolute pinnacle of the show was another version of “Bohemia” but with a very different feel than with other versions. When he started the song he had the complete attention of the crowd, so much that he quickly started to get them to sing along with him. Most of them hadn’t even heard the song before but after only a few minutes the entire venue was doing a sort of call-and-response bit with him! There were many choruses and at the end there was the kind of applause that tells you that everyone had just gotten something very special from that song.

He closed the set with an up-beat version of “He Gave Us the Wine to Taste” that was continued for a sort of half-encore.

The one thing that was in common for both shows was the connection that the audience gained with Jonathan. Whether it was the quiet, subdued first night, or the rowdy, triumphant second night, one could not help to feel that they knew Jonathan on a first-name basis!

Setlists:

FridayBecause Her Beauty Is Raw and WildIn Che Mondo ViviamoO Moon, Queen of Night On EarthEgyptian ReggaeI Was the One She Came ForLe Printemps Des Amoreux Est VenuBohemiaNo One Was Like VermeerItalian Party Song?Her Love Is From Somewhere ElseLet Her Go Into the DarknessEl Joven Se EstremeceThat Summer FeelingWhen We Refuse To SufferKeith RichardsNot So Much To Be Loved As To Love

SaturdayNo One Was Like VermeerLet Her Go Into the DarknessHer Love Is From Somewhere ElseinstrumentalCome To Our Party? (hebrew)If You Want To Leave Our Party Just GoO Moon, Queen Of Night On EarthKeith RichardsBecause Her Beauty Is Raw and WildTake Me To the PlazaThese Bodies That Came To CavortSa Voix M'AtisseVincent Van GoghBohemiaI Was Dancin' in the Lesbian BarThat Summer FeelingWhen We Refuse to SufferCelestialMy Baby Love Love Loves MeHe Gave Us the Wine to Taste

Disclaimer

Jojoblog is maintained with respect by fans for fans. Jonathan Richman does not use the internet or own a computer. Any communication from him to the Jojoblog community is sent through his publicist, Debbie Gulyas of Blue Arrow Records.